This study examines the contemporary crises of inheritance and recognition faced by Guangzhou pith painting, an item of intangible cultural heritage. It explores pathways for its creative transformation and innovative development through modern produc...
This study examines the contemporary crises of inheritance and recognition faced by Guangzhou pith painting, an item of intangible cultural heritage. It explores pathways for its creative transformation and innovative development through modern products. As a representative of nineteenth-century Guangzhou export art, pith painting is characterized by its pith paper medium, Sino-Western hybrid style, and rich historical and cultural value. However, factors such as material fragility, technical complexity, an aging cohort of inheritors, and limited dissemination have led to low public awareness and participation, posing significant challenges to its preservation and continuity.
This study developed an integrated pith painting toolkit comprising line drawings, a pith painting App, and a physical painting tool set, which served as the core medium for the educational practice project. Guided by Biesta's constructivist–pragmatist educational philosophy, the project emphasizes learners' active knowledge construction and the development of emotional engagement through hands-on practice.
This study employs a mixed-methods approach combining literature analysis, expert interviews, and surveys. First, the historical background, artistic characteristics, and current state of research on pith painting are systematically reviewed. Second, interviews with intangible cultural heritage inheritors, educators, and researchers are conducted to clarify the design direction of the pith painting toolkit. Subsequently, the line drawings, the pith painting App, and the painting tool kit were developed. Finally, through educational practice, participants submit cognitive reports, artworks, and cultural and creative products related to pith painting, which serve as evidence of the project's educational effectiveness.
The results show that the pith painting toolkit effectively lowers technical barriers, enabling beginners to produce works with traditional aesthetic qualities and enhancing their engagement and sense of achievement. The accompanying App integrates knowledge maps, instructional videos, digital collectibles, and an interactive community to create a closed-loop learning process of cognition, practice, and sharing. Moreover, the blended model of online preparation, offline practice, and community interaction enhances learning efficiency and strengthens learners' emotional connection to Lingnan culture and intangible cultural heritage. Participants' works indicate a basic understanding of the history of pith painting, independent use of the toolkit, and innovative applications grounded in cultural identity.
The educational transformation project centered on the pith painting toolkit not only revitalizes the inheritance of pith painting but also provides a demonstrative model for the preservation and dissemination of intangible cultural heritage in the digital era. In the future, this model is expected to extend to areas such as cultural and creative product development, cultural tourism integration, and international communication, promoting the transformation of intangible cultural heritage from a protected object into a source of cultural resource development.